Alright, how ready are you for possible events that may arise from terrorist attacks? I'm not talking about MRE's and tin foil hat crap some talk about (although a little of that is necessary); I'm thinking a little more on the topic of gathering friends and family and other last minute stuff. Basically, what are the plans you share with your loved ones and close friends. For example, we have a cabin that's about 3 1/2 hours away from the twin cities, so we have given an invite to our family and friends that live near us to meet us there in case of "whatever". Yeah, we got the guns, water, power, ect. covered, but the actual planning on what to do is really important. Let's hear what everyone else is doing so we can at least help eachother out on the planning aspects.
ARben

I have brothers and sisters that live 50 miles from the big city parts. If I need to go out farther there are aunts and uncles that live way out in the boonies.
If something bad happens right where I live (about 10 miles from a large city but a very quiet suburb) I will either die because of it, or stay right there. But I'm not planning on bugging out. I can climb up on the roof and practice shooting if it gets to an LA riot type situation.

Well all my family are in CA. I know very little people here. So it will be easy for me to get outta dodge. But as I said in a previous, more than likely I will be out of commission cause I live very near a big city. which likely be hit big time and chaos will ensue. Too much for me to be able to get out quickly unless I have a crystal ball and see the attack before hand. If its Chem or Bio, I would be dead in a few.

Unfortunately, even most people who believe they are fairly prepared are sorely lacking the most important preperation: water.
To simply *survive*, you need 1 gallon of water per person per day. That means no water for hygene, washing dishes, cooking, etc. A more realistic figure (cooking, minimal dish cleaning in a small dish tub, wash-cloth "baths") is 3 gallons per person per day.
Figure 6 people for a week. 6x7x3=126 gallons.
How many people have 126 gallons of stored, treated water? That's two 55-gallon drums plus a few 5-gallon cans.
Almost everyone is counting on city water or their own well water. There are dozens of reasons why drinking this water, potentially contaminated by chemical or bio agents, could kill you. To survive, you need stored water, and a lot of it.
Anyone have two weeks of stored water for your family?
-Troy

Water is very important. Having just moved and still living in an apartment we're kind of low on the water end. We've got 31 gallons in the garage, plus 4 more in the kitchen, and the hot water tank of course. The California aqua-duct is within walking distance but I figure it's not drinkable when the SHTF. I've got two of those water pump/filter units if we can find a source of other water.
We're on the far end of the Los Angeles basin and within about ten miles of the badlands. Double whammie - hordes of people fleeing the cities will end up about here and the distance to fresh water a long long way. Doesn't rain but 8-10 inches a year here to top it off.
Food, water and ammo [:)]

Family is all local, we got more guns than a few small countries, ammo, masks, antibiotics, water, and maybe a little bit of food... but I figure I will feast on the flesh of my enemies...
]=)
Oh yeah, and I got enough porn for the entire city to stay underground for years!

I live in a collage town and ther is only one main way out to Chicago or St Louis so I'll be staying right here at my home.
I still feel unprepared for anything because I don't have a battle rifle yet. I have 1000rds for it and 10 mags when it gets here. I also have about 10 24 cases of water and about 5lbs of jerky and a lot of other dried stuff.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." --Mark

Originally Posted By lordtrader:
Well all my family are in CA. I know very little people here. So it will be easy for me to get outta dodge. But as I said in a previous, more than likely I will be out of commission cause I live very near a big city. which likely be hit big time and chaos will ensue. Too much for me to be able to get out quickly unless I have a crystal ball and see the attack before hand. If its Chem or Bio, I would be dead in a few.

View Quote

Yo Al, you're welcome at my pad, and you're just 10 minutes away. I can use someone to cover another avenue of approach...even a squid. [;D]

I gotta hold on to my angst. I preserve it because I need it. It keeps me sharp, on the edge, where I gotta be.

Originally Posted By Troy:
How many people have 126 gallons of stored, treated water? That's two 55-gallon drums plus a few 5-gallon cans.

View Quote

145 gallons for 5 people, but only about 35 gallons is portable in case of a bugout.
Plans have been layed out for a few different possibilities for some time now including if we're all at home together when the balloon goes up or we're apart.
Nothing's 100% and there's still a ton of ways for plans to go awry. It's just a goal so my wife and I are on the same page.
Fuel is what I have a difficulty with. The original goal was to have enough to make a trip to a desired place even using a round-about way to get there. But the stuff is difficult to store and it doesn't live very long so it has to be rotated out fairly often.

That's exactly my point. Especially since there are always people posting that they'll invite their family and/or friends to "ride out the storm" with them. One additional person can make a big difference.
It should be noted that during the Northridge earthquake, which was a relatively localized event, there were people without running water for over 8 weeks. People were lining up for blocks waiting for military water tanks, and were only allowed a few gallons each. And was only a couple of years ago, and resources of the surrounding area were available.
You can't plan for everything, but I'd buy 6-10 5-gallon bottles of water at WalMart before I'd buy that 5th case of ammo. I've seen way too many people with cases of MREs and two gallons of stored water.
-Troy

No. My point was that people need to make their preparations with a realistic set of priorities. It's much more fun to buy guns and ammo, web gear, or even MREs (at least, if you've not "enjoyed" them before). Water is boring, so it gets taken for granted. Storing a week or two supply of water isn't all that expensive ($100-200). It DOES take up a lot of room, though. Still, you'd be better off with no food and plenty of water than vice-versa.
Priorities for survival should be in this order:
- Air
- Shelter (or appropriate clothing)
- Water
- Food
- Defense
- Communications
- Movement
-Troy

Okay, on Friday October 12th at 1200 noon let's all put on our tinfoil hats at the same time.......point your tinfoil hat at the right angle during the KH-11 flyover in order to blind them sneaky spooks at the NSA.

You're right; a week's worth of water isn't a 100% solution. It is, however, a 90% solution, and is FAR better than the 10-20% solution of storing a single 5 gallon bottle, or none at all. Obviously, you would be better off with 4 or more weeks worth. Not everyone can do that, if for no other reason than space. But I have a hard time believing that there is a good excuse not to have a week's worth.
OH, just a note: do not use clear containers to store water, as light will allow bacteria to grow. Use an opaque container designed to hold water, and keep it stored in a cool, dark place. A spare closet is good, and water will be more valuable than those rollerblades you never use. [:)]
The high-speed way to store water is in blue food-grade 55 gallon plastic drums. You'll need a hand pump.
-Troy

Originally Posted By tayous1:
I still feel unprepared for anything because I don't have a battle rifle yet. I have 1000rds for it and 10 mags when it gets here. I also have about 10 24 cases of water and about 5lbs of jerky and a lot of other dried stuff.

View Quote

You are more prepared than probably 99% of the general population. You have food & water, and most importantly a plan. When something affects you personally, it is probably too late to do anything significant. It is like insurancce, you can't wait until you get into a car wreck, and then buy the insurance. Most likely you are not going to need your rifle, if you don't have one, maybe you can get together with a buddy that does.
You can last approximately a month without food, but only about a week with out water. So water is really important.
I too am not going to travel, for me personally traveling is real tough because I have 2 kids and a small child. Traveling/escaping in South. Calif. would be real tough proposition for me because if it takes 1 hour just to get to work when there is only 30-40% of the people on the road, can you imagine 70-90%?

I'm prepared for the long term unless something really bad happens, in which case I have enough mobile rations and water in the BOB to get my family to where the meeting point is. All of my family worth a damn is invited to my house in case anything happens, and then we'll all bug out together if that's required. If we have to bug out in smaller groups, we'll be able to meet up along the way.
God Bless Texas

Paranoid? Not exactly.
The chances of a society disruption because of a terrorist action is extremely small. However the chance of a civil services disruption in my area due to an EARTHQUAKE is probably about 80%! In most areas it's not a matter of IF a natural disaster will occur, it's WHEN.

Not hardly. I live in South. CAlif., the land of riots, earthquakes, machinegun shootouts. Everything that people suggested for survival on this board, i.e. the amount of water, food, equipment etc. was suggested in the survival kit was published in video produced by KCET, the local PBS broadcoasting station, everything except the guns of course. It would be real wise to be prepared for the unexpected, otherwise you will be at the mercy of big bad meanies, i.e. has anyone paid $5 for a can of coke? That was the going price on during the So. Calif. Northridge earthquake.

I guess the big thing is not to drive off, unless you have to, if you have no place to go! For me it's a no brainer. Our place in northern WI is very isolated from big cities and we have a well that is tapped into an underground river 203 feet below ground (the purity is better than purified city water). We also have propane heating (we have a massive propane tank that we only fill once a year) and generators. I switched that place as my permanent adress when I went to college, but my parents and sister are still near the twin cities working and going to school. Most of the realitives we like live very close, so if anything at all should happen, we told them to follow us up. Food isn't really a problem with plentiful deer ect. Now that I think about it, it wouldn't really seem like buging out to me, just going on an unexpected vacation.

That's exactly my point. Especially since there are always people posting that they'll invite their family and/or friends to "ride out the storm" with them. One additional person can make a big difference.
It should be noted that during the Northridge earthquake, which was a relatively localized event, there were people without running water for over 8 weeks. People were lining up for blocks waiting for military water tanks, and were only allowed a few gallons each. And was only a couple of years ago, and resources of the surrounding area were available.
You can't plan for everything, but I'd buy 6-10 5-gallon bottles of water at WalMart before I'd buy that 5th case of ammo. I've seen way too many people with cases of MREs and two gallons of stored water.
-Troy

View Quote

I have a covered Jacuzzi which holds a few hundred gallons, but not very portable.
A filter pump is good for claiming dirty water or someone's pool water.

"We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared so we may always be free." Ronald Reagan 1984

Well, as far as civil unrest goes I'm staying put and am well prepared.
In the even of an NBC event that would force me out. I have a place to go a few hrs away and two trucks to haul what I can get in them. Same for family, plus a motorhome. ( would suck, but??)

Originally Posted By Troy:
How many people have 126 gallons of stored, treated water? That's two 55-gallon drums plus a few 5-gallon cans.
Almost everyone is counting on city water or their own well water. There are dozens of reasons why drinking this water, potentially contaminated by chemical or bio agents, could kill you. To survive, you need stored water, and a lot of it.
I forgot to add Troy that your three gallon per day is a very realistic estimate. That's about how much we use in hunting camp per person.
Anyone have two weeks of stored water for your family?
-Troy

View Quote

I have wells at both home and bug out place.
Wells are not going to be contaminated right away under most circumstances. But, we do have some water stored.

If you live in a big city my suggestion is to GET OUT NOW! Osma Bin Schmuck wants to attack big populations i.e. lots of people. Safety is being where lots of other people are not. If you wait until the SHTF then you gonna be SOL.

My house is the rally point. 2 miles to lake. Food wanders through my yard daily. Plenty of stored goods. Self-reliant friends and neighbors. The homestead next to mine is owned by a bay area family that hopes they can escape here. Hunting,fishing, and camping gear all ready to go. This is just like vacation.

Store 100LL avgas for small engines. It is hell on catyletic converters but will store for years in a closed container. Cars will run on it for a long time but will eventually ruin and/or collapse the core of the converter. Planerench out. PS. how many people do not have a well? I have lived rural all my life and have never been without one.

Originally Posted By GoatBoy:
Family is all local, we got more guns than a few small countries, ammo, masks, antibiotics, water, and maybe a little bit of food... [b]but I figure I will feast on the flesh of my enemies...[/b]
]=)
Oh yeah, and I got enough porn for the entire city to stay underground for years!

View Quote

Start with your teenage enimies first...they should be a bit more tender.

Originally Posted By Robbie:
Plans have been layed out for a few different possibilities for some time now including if we're all at home together when the balloon goes up or we're apart.
Nothing's 100% and there's still a ton of ways for plans to go awry. It's just a goal so my wife and I are on the same page.
Fuel is what I have a difficulty with. The original goal was to have enough to make a trip to a desired place even using a round-about way to get there. But the stuff is difficult to store and it doesn't live very long so it has to be rotated out fairly often.

View Quote

The layered approach is a good idea, your're right about not knowing where everybody is at at anytime. See below for my personal recommendation on fuel storage.

Originally Posted By Planerench:
Store 100LL avgas for small engines. It is hell on catyletic converters but will store for years in a closed container. Cars will run on it for a long time but will eventually ruin and/or collapse the core of the converter.

View Quote

BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN STORING QUANTITIES OF GASOLINE - THIS STUFF IS REALLY DANGEROUS.
Regarding long-term storage of gasoline. The current gasoline blend mandated by the EPA is for less smog, but is really detrimental on longevity. The reason I know this is that I spoke my friend who works for Ultramar/Diamond Shamrock. I got several steel gasoline cans painted red(GI Gerry cans), the international color for gasoline. I am not sure if the plastic ones that you buy at the local hardware store will do, but if that's all you got, it will have to do. The gerry cans come with a replaceable rubber gasket to keep the gasoline in, and the air out. Major Surplus at one-time also carried some surplus French steel gas containers, you will probably have to call them to find out if they got anymore.
I recommend the gasoline fuel preservative called PRI I purchased it at Major Surplus & Survival [url]http://www.majorsurplusnsurvival.com/index.htm[/url], Gardena, Calif.(suburb of L.A.), check it out, maybe this can be procured locally. This PRI company also has a version for diesel fuel also. I have also seen another brand of fuel preservative at the local Wal-Mart but my personal opinion that stuff is not as good. I forget the recommend amount of PRI for a 5 gallon gasoline container, but I think it something like 1/4(?) ounce or less. And it is not harmful to cat converters. I put this stuff in the white gas for my Coleman gasoline camping stove and my lawn mower fuel.
I just recently poured a 5 gallon can from 1999 of this stuff into my car just to test it, car runs find.

I believe that I have done all that I can to prepare my family. I am in NYC for work, and my wife is in Westchester. The plan is for her to grab the emergency bag near the front door, grab the two kids, take the pistol, AR15 and ammo to the car and drive to PA where I will try to make my way to them. Simple but clear. That is our meeting place if I get caught in the city again during another attack. Unfortunately, with all the police checks at the crossings into NYC, I am unarmed while working these days, well I mean no guns. The last thing I need is to get caught carrying a concealed weapon or transporting an assault rifle into NYC. That would be big trouble for anyone without a CCW in NYC which is nearly impossible to get. So in order to make sure that I am free to defend our country and to get my family to safety, I must travel without any guns for now. It feels wrong to me, and it goes against my better judgement, but I have been randomly stopped and checked already at a police checkpoint.

<font size=2>The Strong Take From The Weak....The Smart Take From The Strong</font id=s2>

Advice to anyone planning to "bug-out", especially if that means "drive." First, you have to have a destination, and "the hills" isn't good enough.
Second, if you are really going to do this, make sure you do so *immediately* after any appropriate emergency. Even delaying a few hours may leave you in total gridlock, or worse, subject to checkpoints and inspections. This is especially true for those who live and/or work in or near major cities, which unfortunately is most of us.
Also, you should really try to avoid drinking pool/hot tub water, which will have far too much chlorine and other chemicals to be healthy, and, assuming you've been in it, is otherwise contaminated. And open bodies (lakes/rivers) of water can certainly be contaminated in any number of ways that make the water unhealthy (though you can probably bathe in it, which would ease your dependance on stored water somewhat). Those with wells are in good shape as long as the electricity is working. Without electricity, most wells won't help you unless you have a long-term power source available.
-Troy

Originally Posted By hielo:
30 Acre lake, which is spring fed.
Two swinning pools, closed and covered now, one indoor pool (the kids have been told not to pee in it...)
Two *deep* wells.
Water is covered.

I know my immediate vicinity better than
any other place on earth.
If, and I mean only if, I was in dire straights
I will start by killing and stealing from the elderly and handicapped ( survival of the fittest). Looting as much goods as possible. Old folks homes have plenty of food and little resistance.

Add some variety in there if you're planning to stockpile water. Drink mix crystals are cheap and tasty, or better yet: stockpile homebrew!
The alcohol doubles as a preservative (possibly also as an antiseptic cleaner in a pinch) and I guarantee you that if some disaster were to deprive an entire city of drinking water, hooch will be in demand. The alcohol also has more calories than water with no increase in bulk or weight.
A still might be useful for purifying water in those areas where that would be permitted. Canadians require a water distiller licence ($2/yr) from Revenue Canada Excise and Taxation Dept.
Aside from that, I'm prepared. I've taken the liberty of adding an extra 40 pounds, so food is optional.